Tough
by 3OfAKind
Summary: "I ain't never been nothing but tough. All my edges have always been rough. But Jesus loves me anyway. Back home, there ain't nothing wrong with a woman that's got a little back bone." It's the anniversary of her mom's death and it's hitting Avery pretty hard this year. But when she tries to forget about her sorrows, a diva makes Avery realize how tough she actually is. No Flames!


**Olivia- So this is sortof like a sequel to 'You're Perfect Babe' written by my sister. You can check that out either before or after you read this, you don't have to read one to understand the other. Just as her fic focused on her OC DJ, this one will focus more on my OC Avery. **

**Pairings-**

**AveryxFinn**

**DJxPuck**

**Klaine**

**Tough**

Usually Delilah Jade Delapaz was awoken every morning by one of two things. Either her sister singing in the shower, or her sister's guitar strums. But this morning, the small brunette awoke to neither. Kamo, her sister's pet golden lab, sat on the floor near the head of DJ's bed, gently licking the girl's hand that stuck out of the duvet.

"Hey, pup." DJ smiled, scratching the dog behind her ear. "Where's Avery?" she asked, catching site of Avery's empty bed across the room. Kamo turned her head to look out the large bay window. DJ slowly got up and crossed the hardwood floor to gaze down at her family's backyard garden. Sure enough, her blonde step sister sat under the apple trees with her trusty guitar. But what struck DJ as odd, was the blonde hadn't changed out of her pajamas and was barefoot. Avery never went outside unless she was fully dressed and at least had her rainbows on her feet. After quickly finding a pair of jeans and throwing on one of Avery's vintage Aerosmith T-shirts, Delilah flew down the stairs and out into the garden. The strums of the acoustic drowned out her soft foot falls.

_'I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house_

_That don't bother me. _

_I can take a few tears now and then and just let em out_

_I'm not afraid to cry, every once in a while_

_Even though going on with you gone_

_Still upsets me_

This wasn't normally Avery's style, DJ noted. Even though Rascal Flatts were her idols, usually she was all about the upbeat, strong instrumentals and high energy songs. But this was slow and powerful. The small brunette stayed by the back door, not making her presence known just yet.

_There are days every now and again I pretend _

_I'm okay, but that's not what gets me_

_What hurts the most, was being so close_

_and having so much to say_

_and watching you walk away_

_and never knowing what could've been_

_and not seeing that loving you_

_is what I was trying to do_

With the last few strums, Avery let the guitar fall to her lap. She hung her head down, letting her pink streaked blonde hair cover her face. DJ knew she was crying from the sobs she could see wracking Avery's lithe form. The second DJ touched her sister, Avery jumped from the surprise. But one look from DJ's worried navy eyes had the blonde curling into Delilah's chest, crying openly. DJ manuvered the guitar over to the side of the two girls and repositioned herself until she was sitting down with her sister in her lap. DJ hummed a nameless tune while she rocked back and forth, stroking Avery's hair to calm her down. Three minutes later, the blonde seemed to sober up a little. She sat up straight and wiped her reddened hazel eyes.

"Thanks." she muttered, not quite meeting the younger's gaze.

"No prob." DJ smiled. "It's her anniversary, isn't it?" she asked, earning a nod from her sister.

"This makes four years she's been gone..."

DJ sighed, wishing on every star in the sky that she could make her sister's pain vanish. Instead, she stood, pulling Avery up with her.

"C'mon, it's a pancake and karaoke day," DJ said," Pancakes now, and I'm calling Puck and Finn to take us to that new Karaoke bar downtown, the Music Cup. Maybe Baby B and Princess Porcelain too."

"Deej-"

"Nope, you won't win this argument, sis," DJ said, her eyes hard and determined." Last year you stayed in bed and moped, year before you cried until I had to force feed you so you wouldn't get dehydrated. This year, even if you're faking, we're doing something to make you smile."

"I was just gonna say that all of that actually sounds good..." Avery said with a watery smile. DJ returned it and yanked her sister towards their kitchen.

"C'mon I'm making double chocolate chip pancakes, your favorite."

3

3

3

Later that night, DJ sat perched on Puck's lap, staring down the unfortunate duo onstage trying- and failing -to sing R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Puck laughed at DJ's obvious scoff to the horrible girls. The icing on the metaphorical cake being the girls believing themselves to be hot stuff.

"Talent is so hard to come by..." DJ said with a frown, giving the stink eye to the obnoxious red head of the two.

"Talent? No. Divas? Yes." Puck said nodding at the door where none other then Rachel Berry was entering and giving Finn and Avery dark looks. However, the soprano's expression lightened quickly, walking towards their table with an exaggerated swing to her bony hips.

"Finn!" she gushed, throwing her arms around the teen's neck, causing his grip on Avery's shoulders to slacken. "It's so good to see you!"

"Uh, you too, Rachel." Finn stammered, trying to push the brunette off him.

"Are you singing tonight?" she asked, hope of a duet filling her brown eyes.

"I didn't really plan on it..." Finn tried, catching the scathing look DJ sent his ex girlfriend.

"Oh, so I suppose Amy will?" Rachel's fake smile irked the hell out of the blonde.

"It's Avery, and I just came for the atmosphere tonight." Avery replied icily.

"All the better!" Rachel gleamed with an evil spark in her eye. "Actual performers should only be allowed to sing anyway."

"Hey guys!" came Blaine's voice. The curly haired tenor approached the table with his fair skinned boyfriend in tow. "Sorry we're late, I hope we haven't missed any..." Blaine stopped short seeing the short Jew wrapped around Finn. Whereas Blaine showed shock and confusion, Kurt wore his famous 'bitch' face; clearly not pleased to see his once best friend.

"Uh...hey, Rach." Blaine stammered, trying to be nice. Kurt jerked on his boyfriend's hand as if to say 'you don't have to do that'.

Blaine shrugged it off and had a hopeless look as if to return with 'Well I can't be rude!'

"Actally, I would love to sing," DJ said with an evil glint in her eye. She hopped off Puck's lap, giving the boy a kiss ;just this side of appropriate; that had a few men around the bar gawking as the tiny girl sashayed up to the stage.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Kurt said under his breath. Puck barked out a laugh and tipped back his soda. DJ said no drinking tonight and ad much of a bad ass as he was, he preferred his girl happy.

"Really? Because I have a feeling in about to be turned on and entertained much more then I expected when Deej called me earlier," Puck grinned. DJ had managed to bribe her way up to the stage and grinned at her friends.

"This is for all those girls who just can't take a clue," DJ said pointedly," You know that one bitch we all know who can't get over the fact that a guy moved up the ladder from them? Yeah, this is for her- or them."

DJ grinned evilly as she tapped her foot to the opening tune. She began to sing:

_I know he loved you  
A long time ago  
I ain't jealous of you  
Just thought you should know  
You were never good enough for him or anything like me  
So you might as well sit back 'cause I ain't tryin to show maturity_

X is the shape I drew through your face  
In permanent marker  
Oh yeah  
Just like the mark you knew you were makin  
Who do you think you are  
To write on his heart  
In permanent marker

So I found that picture  
Of you in that green dress  
Sure had a good time  
Cleanin up that mess  
He found 30 other pieces but he'll never find 'em all  
Tried to tape them back together  
Now he knows to keep it off the wall

X is the shape I drew through your face  
In permanent marker  
Oh yeah  
Just like the mark you knew you were makin  
Who do you think you are  
To write on his heart  
In permanent marker

Well I don't appreciate you callin him to reminisce  
The only reason is you're seein just how much better off he is

X is the shape I drew through your face  
In permanent marker  
Oh yeah  
Just like the mark you knew you were makin  
Who do you think you are  
To Write on his heart  
X is the shape I drew through your face  
In permanent marker  
Oh yeah  
Just like the mark you knew you were makin  
Who do you think you are  
To Write on his heart  
In permanent marker  
In permanent marker  
Oh  
Permanent marker

Puck whooped and hollered louder then the others everyone was impressed with DJ's guts. All except Rachel who had yanked back from Finn to sputter and babble large words at the small brunette as she returned. DJ, however ignored her and reached into Kurt's satchel, yanking out a black sharpie. She walked over to Puck and grabbed his arm. In dark letters she wrote "Property of DJ; Touch & Die", then proceeded to do the same with Kurt, Blaine, Finn and Avery but in retrospect.

"That was in case you didn't understand my meaning," DJ smiled sweetly." Everyone here is taken. And no wanna be diva bitch is gonna change that, y'hear?"

Rachel sneered and walked up to the stage manager, batting her eyes a few times to gain access to the mic. Once center stage, she proceeded to belt out 'Don't Rain on my Parade'. However, the volume she sang at was at a pitch such the mic had trouble filtering it, causing a very high freqency to radiate through the speakers. Everyone held onto their ears in pain due to the sharp noise. Rachel however, just carried on her song until Kurt suggested they leave. Yelling something about bruised ear drums.

!

!

!

Avery sat pulling on the ends of her pink streaked blonde hair, wishing she hadn't come to school. But DJ forced her into her Cheerios uniform and drove her to school anyway. Avery sat quietly in algebra, doodling on her notebook's cover. All she wanted to do was go home, curl up in bed with Kamo and watch The Legend of Korra on Netflicks. But the blonde knew she had Glee to get through first, something she wasn't so excited about. When the final bell rang, she grabbed up her books and threw Finn's football jacket around her shoulders, building herself up for the walk to the choir room.

"There's my dixie darling!" Kurt called the second Avery crossed the threshold. She allowed herself to be hugged by her best friend, letting him lead her to her seat. "Haven't seen much of you today, something wrong?" he asked, checking his phone and replying to a text from Blaine.

"I just wanna go home, is all." she responded, fiddling with the end of her skirt.

"Then skip." Kurt chided. "I'm sure Mr. Shue wouldn't mind too much."

"Na, I'd better stay. We're going over songs for Sectionals today, besides DJ would kill me."

"Everything will be fine." Kurt smiled, hooking his arm into the bend of Avery's. She felt content and safe in the countertenor's arms. He was her best friend besides DJ and one of her reasons to smile. Finn entered and sat beside his girlfriend, wrapping his long arm around her waist before pressing a light kiss to her cheek. Puck and DJ appeared next. Avery giggled when Puck threatened to beat up somebody if it made her feel better. DJ slapped his arm playfully, telling him to sit down.

"Maybe this won't be so bad after all..." Avery thought, but was proven wrong the second Rachel Berry strode in, locking eyes with the blonde. Suddenly all of the angst and nerves were back.

"Does anybody wanna know what we're doing for sectionals?" Mr. Shue asked, galloping in with a pile of sheet music and large grin. "I've decided the Trouble Tones are gonna cover 'Pretty Girl Rock' by Kerri Hilson... a mash up of 'Born this Way and Express Yourself...and Avery is gonna be our soloist with 'Gonna Getcha Good' from Shania Twain."

"What!" Rachel screeched, shooting up from her seat. "I'm _always_ the featured soloist!"

"Rachel, I understand you're dissapointed but Avery deserves this."

"No she dosen't! I'm the better vocalist! I have more talent!"

This is the rock that broke the dam. All the anger Avery had been bottling up finally poured out.

"Shut up!" Avery screamed, fighting back tears. "All you ever do is try and pick a fight with me! And for what? Cause you think I 'stole' your boyfriend? Well here's a news flash, princess...he got tired of everything having to be about you! When was the last time you considered his feelings? Don't worry I'll wait!" this earned a loud laugh from Santana, Sam and Kurt.

"Avery!" Mr. Shue shouted, stunned the usually behaved girl was acting out.

"No, she has had this coming for a long time!" Avery responded, the fire building in her hazel eyes. "I'm sick of you thinking i'm inferior! I'm just as good as you...no, I'm better! Cause I'm not self absorbed, narcissistic, and stuck up! I sing for my mom. She died four years ago in a car accident and yesterday was the anniversary of her death. Ever had someone you love with all your heart ripped away from you? I doubt it. Until DJ came along, she was the only one who understood me. The pain from losing a parent is unbearable, but you wanna make a scene about being dumped? want the solo for sectionals? Well that's tough!"

Almost immediately, the band began to play. The acoustics and drum lines filling the room with sound.

_I wanted lace, I wanted pearls_

_To be a princess like the other girls_

_but life came hard to my front door_

_and I grew up trying to even up the score_

DJ, Puck, Finn, Blaine and Kurt grinned at their blonde. Having finally reverted back to her old spit fire self.

_tough! I ain't never been nothin' but tough_

_All my edges have always been rough_

_but Jesus loves me anyway_

Rachel's brown eyes widened, seeing she'd been publicly shown up and shut up.

_Oh, back home. Ain't nothing wrong with _

_a woman that's got a little backbone_

_You just wait until you taste her kinda love_

_You want a shy little thing, a pretty little high heeled thing_

_gonna cry if I don't polish up. Tough!_

Avery's intense glare never left the small brunette, pouring all her anger, sorrow and hatred into this one song.

_The way I see it, the hands of fate_

_did me a favor with the cards He delt my way_

_found out real fast, life is a game_

_you're out real quick if you don't know how to play_

_Tough!_

_I ain't never been nothin' but tough_

_All my edges have always been rough_

_but Jesus loves me anyway_

_Ohh back home, there ain't nothing wrong with _

_a woman that's got a little back bone_

_You just wait until you taste her kinda love_

_Tough! _

The applause was deafening, furthering Rachel's fall from fame. Finn raced towards the girl, picking her up and swinging her around while kissing her for everything he was worth. Everyone took turns hugging Avery, offering their condolenses on her deceased mother. All the while giving Rachel disapproving looks. For the rest of the rehearsal, Rachel sat as far away from everyone as she could get. No longer feeling like part of the group. But perhaps she never really belonged in the first place. No one seemed to like her, even before Avery and DJ transferred after their high school burned down a year ago. Truth be told, Rachel was envious of the two. Avery was confidant, brash, and charming; DJ being excentric, dark but not brooding and lovable. They were foils of each other, clashing so perfectly that it seemed absurd for it not to work. Truly two of a kind. Rachel never had anyone to grow attached to like this. Her diva attitude always scaring away any potential friends. But perhaps if she'd take a page from Avery and DJ's book, her life wouldn't be so tough.


End file.
